It's Been a Long, Hot, Miserable Summer

.... and I've just felt so "yucky" that I thought I might be contagious.  I didn't want to spread those feelings on to you, my sweet friends.  I truly didn't mean to just walk away from here like I did but I just didn't have the energy to pick up the computer. I walked away from the computer as a whole.  Have you ever felt like this?  It's been so incredibly hot and dry - we went almost 3 full months with no measurable rainfall. And. I. FELT. every. moment. of it!  I need cloudy days and rain like most people need the sun - that probably says something about me...  I often sing (to myself), "I'm just a little black rain cloud; hovering over the honey tree; I'm just a little black rain cloud; pay no attention to little me...."    Then it rained! Glorious rain from our Father!  I felt so much better, but we were in the middle of yet another project.  You have no idea! *winks*

It's going to take me a bit to share what all has been going on here at WinterFall Farm, but I'll try to keep it brief and get to most of it - in time.

Here's some of the lighter moments:

Baby Girl help me peel & slice some peaches so I could put some up in the freezer for cobblers and fried pies!

While I made my first few batches of Strawberry Preserves and one jar of blueberry preserves (we grew the blueberries)!

Little Man and Baby Girl had a shoot out with water guns to try and beat the heat!

Baby Girl and Franny had a little tiff and I made them "hug it out" just like I did when they were little.

You know what? It still worked! 

And a couple of weeks ago, we went to Sonic for 1/2 price drinks and a ride. I am sooooo addicted to Sparkling Strawberry Lemonades - I'm gonna need rehab when they stop selling them. Anyway....  we were riding around the lake and got off into some back roads and my husband started slowing down and stopped. I worried something was wrong and asked what was wrong. He says, "something is chasing us."  Um.... NOT what you want to hear when you're on a desolate road!  I looked in the side rearview mirror and saw something coming.... it was getting closer and closer but I still couldn't make it out but was getting panicky. Then we saw her - this precious puppy that someone had dumped off out in the middle of nowhere.  We discussed what we should do while the children were loving on her giving her their ice and just knew that we couldn't leave her. If for no other reason, the heat indices were in the 130's. So we brought her home....  Yep! We have another dog!

We had already named her before we got out of the woods.  We named her after Gracie Mae after our sweet Emma Grace.

We stopped and bought her a collar (to keep her out of the road and off the highway), some food and water, and some flea and tick shampoo (she was covered in them).

We took her to the vet the other day and he said she's half black/tan coonhound and half rottweiler.  Yes. Rottweiler.  I'm super worried about that part but the vet assured my husband that rottweilers have an unfair bad rap. We just need to love on her a lot and she'll be fine... No problem. She is a sweetie. A destructive sweetie, but....  She loves all of us but hubby and son are her favorites - she's such a flirt! It's so funny!!!    If y'all have any good things to tell about rottweiler's, please share!

Beside those things, our poor garden that really got the short end of the deal, orthodonist visits, a couple of business trips, school planning, and life in general.... this is where we're at right now....

Nope, it ain't pretty!  Hopefully we'll finish soon.....

Next week we start school and our Franny will turn 21!

Hope that your summer hasn't been as hot and dry as ours and that you've handled it better than I.

Many, Many Blessings ~~ Julie